2017/2018: A TIME OF RENEWAL AND CHALLENGES AT SWISS SOLIDARITY

In 2017, we committed ourselves to sustainably delivering assistance to people in distress in Switzerland and we sought to meet the new requirements of humanitarian aid. The new year has a number of challenges in store for us, including the threat to our partnership with SSR.

Assistance in Switzerland

In 2017, we supported projects run by more than 37 organisations and associations aimed at marginalised youth and young unaccompanied minors. The Cœur à Cœur, Jeder Rappen zählt and Ogni centesimo conta campaigns held throughout Switzerland in 2017 were a resounding success. This year, we will also create a new fund for the most economically disadvantaged people in our country.

The humanitarian sector in Switzerland distinguished itself with the fundraising campaign for Bondo in Graubünden, which raised over 5.9 million francs and yet again demonstrated the Swiss population’s generosity. This fundraising campaign illustrates our drive to bolster aid to Swiss municipalities following extreme weather events.

Thanks to our Fund Natural Disaster in Switzerland, we were also able to support two villages in Emmental and Entlebuch that were hit in 2014, as well as a number of businesses and private homes, to the tune of over one million francs.

Thanks to the solidarity of the Swiss, we were able to support the projects of 26 of our partner NGOs actively providing relief in these two crises. Over 900,000 people have been helped.

Support for innovation

To meet the new challenges facing the humanitarian sector and support our partner NGOs, we are establishing a new fund for innovation. The fund will be financed by donations not allocated to specific campaigns, such as bequests and sponsorships. The fund’s goal is to bolster the effectiveness of humanitarian work through innovative solutions.

Partnership with the SSR

Among the challenges awaiting us in 2018, the outcome of the “No Billag” voter initiative could threaten our main partnership with the SSR. In Switzerland, no other platform is able to raise public awareness and motivate people as effectively when major disasters strike. Thanks to our partnership with the SSR, we have raised over 1.7 billion francs since our inception to support people in distress in Switzerland.